Update

It's now been over 2 and a half years since I had my operation and as of now (touch wood) I feel fine. Importantly I have no back pain at all. Thankfully this has been relieved and I can move around with ease. I am a bit stiff and have lost a certain amount of flexibility particularly bending forward but have no discomfort. I exercise regularly, mainly walking which I try to do everyday. I regularly walk home from my office which is about 11 km (in Bangkok that's enough) In 2016 I clocked up over 1600 km of walking and am aiming for 1700 this year. I haven't been out on the bike much but that has been mainly due to the increase in walking and some personal circumstances (school runs etc) but I have bought a bike trainer and use this often. I would sat I am now fitter than I was before the operation as i know that I can;t afford to put on more weight and must protect the back as much as possible. Overall I only have positives to say and am now only visiting the doctor once a year for check ups.

Day 41 - Recovery

Tuesday Day 41

A good day today. I have moved to two week consultations with Dr Eakpatipan and this was my first in this order. I had an examination and then an x ray to check everything was in order. The service provided is really first class and I didn't have to wait more than five minutes for anything. The x ray came back and everything is in order. The Doctor is pleased with my progress and showed me clearly on the x-ray what is happening. The titanium screws are fitted perfectly and the healing process is moving on as expected. I explained about the pain in my leg and reassured me that this is normal and part of the recovery. The pain changes from mild to moderate to nothing depending on the activity. He prescribed Myonal, a muscle relaxant to help with my discomfort and also prescribed Elmetacin a spray used to relieve pain. At the time I had some discomfort and pain in my lumbar region but remarkably this has been alleviated after a blast form the spray. Sitting down is still uncomfortable after a period so I have been moving around and getting those back muscles working again. Dr Eakpatipan also recommended swimming and walking as well as stretching to help build the muscles again.

All in all though a very positive day. I don;t have to report back for two more weeks so nnow to get in the pool and keep on walking.

Days 38 & 39 - Recovery

Saturday and Sunday Days 38 & 39

Both days I have had to teach. This has caused a bit of discomfort but the main factor has been a feeling of exhaustion I had not had before. After both days I had to push through to keep myself going. Sunday afternoon was particularly difficult as I had some work on my laptop to complete. Unfortunately I was unable to sit for any decent period of time to finish the job. In the end I quit and took a pain killer to alleviate the discomfort. The exhaustion is I am sure a normal part of the recovery but I didn't expect it to be so severe. 

Day 36 - Recovery

Thursday Day 36

I saw Dr Suthep today and he was happy he’d made the decision to stop the Arcoxia. After another examination he recommended I continue taking Prevalin (for acid reflux) and Motilium (to relieve nausea and vomiting) for a further week and to then stop the medication. He also said he didn’t need to see me again after this. So although I am still on some meds the light is at the end of the tunnel in this regard. I feel once off the medication I can concentrate fully on a plan to rebuild my back and feel stronger again. I taught my first class today after the operation and it went very well. The class was a group of 8 children around 11 years old. They were wonderful and I was able to deliver a successful lesson. They were all keen to know why I had been off sick and I told them briefly why. From then on they insisted I sit down and look after myself. Very sweet. Unfortunately the sitting down for long periods is still not an option and having a teaching job is good in this regard. My back starts to feel sore and getting up after any period of sitting is uncomfortable.

After the lesson my back felt much like before with moderate pain down my right leg and discomfort in the lumbar region. I was able to sleep well though and didn’t feel the pain warranted any medication.    

Day 35 - Recovery

Wednesday Day 35

I went back to work today and although I didn’t have any classroom duties I had an inordinate amount of emails to catch up on and for the most part delete. It was good to be back and my colleagues were very nice for asking after me. I spent most of the morning up and down as I found it very uncomfortable to sit down for a long period of time. Luckily we have an ‘orthopaedic’ chair already in the office and I was lucky enough to be able to grab it. I still have moderate pain in my right leg although this seemed to alleviate somewhat from moving around. This made me feel more positive about a return to the classroom which will happen tomorrow. My stomach issues have cleared up and although I still feel like my back is inflamed and is still sore I will not be going back to Arcoxia and will attempt to ride this out as the pain is not excruciating yet. I have a return appointment tomorrow with Dr Suthep, the gastroenterologist and assume he will give the all clear and I’ll be off all medication. A step in the right direction I think.

Day 30 & 31 - Recovery

Friday Day 30

Saturday Day 31

My stomach continues to get better and except for the odd wave of nausea it’s pretty much back to normal. My back is getting stronger and I have been doing exercises prescribed by the doctor as well as doing more in terms of walking around, odd jobs (laundry, watering plants, changing light bulbs) and generally getting back to normal life. I am so sick off the house now and really want to get out as much as possible. Today I went to watch a game of football near home and sat in a concrete stand for 90 minutes which at times was uncomfortable but not too bad. After the game I walked about a kilometre to get a taxi home and this was no trouble at all. All in all I should be fine to go back to work on Wednesday and am looking forward to it. 

Day 29 - Recovery

Thursday Day 29

I woke up this morning and nothing had changed. I didn’t take any medication and trooped off to the hospital to see if I could get any help. I made an appointment on the way and was pleased that Dr Eakpatipan was able to see me at the time I would arrive. He told me to immediately to stop taking the Arcoxia and said that this is a common side effect of the medication. He then sent me off to see Dr Suthep, a gastroenterologist, who continued the streak of doctors with excellent bedside manner at the BNH. We had an in depth consultation with possible causes discussed one of them being an ulcer, which apparently can be brought on by the type of meds I was taking. He then gave me a physical examination and ruled any ulcer. He instructed me to stop taking the Arcoxia and prescribed Prevalin (for acid reflux) and Motilium (to relieve nausea and vomiting). I then went to a nearbny department store to have lunch which I wasn’t looking forward too. The Doctor had said I must eat and said ‘soft’ foods were best. No steak etc. Luckily Thai food with its staple of rice is soft in nature so no problems there. spicy food is a no go to so need to be careful about this. I took my medication just before lunch as instructed and was truly amazed at the results. Nearly immediately I felt better and was able to enjoy my first real meal since Monday.  I have to return to see Dr Suthep in a week but if this continues I hope I will be off all medication from then on in.

Day 27 & 28 Recovery

Tuesday Day 27

Wednesday Day 28

Haven’t written for a couple of days as I have been laid up with stomach issues. I woke up on Tuesday lacking in the usual appetite and managed to have some cereal for breakfast mainly in order to take medicine (Miracid 30 minutes before breakfast and Arcoxia after eating). Things got progressively worse although I did have a bowl of fried rice for lunch. immediately after eating however I felt nauseous and retreated to the bathroom to be sick. I vomited a small amount and then tried to sleep but to no avail. Dinner time came and I had a chicken sandwich and had the same result as lunch. I went to bed earlier but had a horrible nights with intermittent sleep and nightmares when I did drop off.

I woke on Wednesday feeling slightly better and managed a couple of pieces of toast to aid with the medicine. My nausea remained and I contacted the hospital pharmacy to see if they could recommend anything over the counter that would help. They recommended Alum Milk a mixture of Aluminium Hydroxide and Magnesium Hydroxide. It has helped but I have still been experiencing waves of nausea throughout the day. I had a sandwich for lunch and this has stayed down. I can’t really face any dinner so am going to bed early and hope for a better day tomorrow. I am aware that Arcoxia can cause stomach upset but I have been taking it throughout my recovery and not experienced any issues. Now having reduced all medication apart from Miracid (which should in theory alleviate any issues) and Arcoxia I am wondering if I should consult with the doctor to see if this is normal. I may have eaten something that didn’t agree with me as can be common in Thailand but I don’t recall eating anything particularly unpleasant. 

Day 26 - Doctors Appointment

Monday Day 26

A very good day today. I woke up with a stiff back but no pain as such so put this down to sleeping awkwardly or due to the drugs wearing off. I had breakfast and filled myself full of drugs and felt much better in no time at all. I went to visit the doctor had my blood pressure taken prior to the consultation. I was pleased to see it was lower than previously. I spoke to the doctor and at this time was feeling the usual exhaustion and explained this. He suggested more time in bed and also reduced my medication. I am now taking Arcoxia for inflammation , Miracid to help with any stomach problems due to the Arcoxia and Tramadol, as and when required, for pain. I am very happy with this as it will mean I can spend more time working to get my back muscles in shape. He prescribed some exercises to help with this. This includes lying on my back and lifting my legs, lying on my front and lifting my arms and legs in a superman pose. Light yoga is ok but the message was to listen to my body and if it hurts don’t do it. My wound has healed up nicely and I now don’t need to cover this. Again good news as I can exercise freely without any worry about the plaster coming off. I got home and slept as I was tired out from either the medication or the exertion of coming home by myself I don’t know. This is something to monitor in the next few days of recovery. I am now focusing everything on getting ready to return to work next week. this includes executing the exercise regime and building up my back strength. More to come in the following days.

Day 23, 24 and 25 Recovery

Friday Day 23

Saturday Day 24

Sunday Day 25

I’ve moved from a daily blog now as the days seem to be following a very similar pattern. After rising early with a certain amount of stiffness I have been for a short walk. This alleviates the stiffness and my back although weak feels pretty good after this. The only problem I have been facing is the feeling of exhaustion that occurs around mid-morning. Each day I have been forced to lie down and sleep for a couple of hours as I cannot do anything else. I think this might be a medication issue as I haven’t been doing anything extreme or over exerting myself. I will talk to the doctor tomorrow about this. Sitting has become more comfortable and I am now able to sit at the table without any discomfort in my leg or back. Getting up off the chair however is difficult and this is when I feel my back is at its weakest. My wound feels pretty good and as the picture shows it is not pleasant but has healed very nicely. I am looking forward to seeing the doctor tomorrow and getting to the bottom of the exhaustion problem as I feel this is the only issue holding me back at the moment. If I can have a week of normality I think and hope my back will be strong enough for a return to work in a week.

Day 22 Recovery

Thursday Day 22

A strange day today. I woke up very early as my daughter had to go to school. After a good night’s sleep I felt fine and after breakfast and taking my medicine we set off to Rachel’s school in the car with my wife driving. We arrived at the school and I dropped her off. I then walked for about a kilometre and got a taxi back home. Upon arriving home I felt completely shattered. This was surprising as I hadn’t done any more physical exercise than previously. I can only put this down to getting up very early or the medication and the earlier time of taking it. I will do the same routine tomorrow and see if this occurs again. Other than that the day has gone fairly smooth. I have had very little pain in my right leg and was able to do limited exercise later on in the day. Although my back still feels weak I am confident that after every passing day its getting stronger and the muscles are developing nicely. I feel very confident that once off the medication and when my wound which is healing nicely feels fine I’ll be able to return to work and start living a normal life again. 

Day 21 Recovery

Wednesday Day 21

Another decent day for the record. Much the same as yesterday. the day started slowly and it took a while to get moving but once the initial stiffness alleviated I felt much more comfortable. A bit of early morning exercise (a short walk near the house) was followed with relaxation during the heat of the day. I exercised again in the late afternoon taking another short walk. I still have a small amount of right leg pain but this is like yesterday significantly less than previous days. I think the medication is right in terms of pain relief. I will talk to the doctor further about this as although helping with pain the medication really makes me drowsy. My wound feels great and the lack of staples is comfortable. My back generally still feels weak and the muscles still need to be developed to be able to support me.  

Day 20 Recovery

Tuesday Day 20

Another good day to chalk up. Woke up feeling pretty good considering the previous day's activities. Had the usual medications and have had no significant right leg pain throughout the day. My back muscles felt a bit sore and my back in general felt week particularly after I had been sitting down for a short while. I have been told these muscles will take time to be back to how they were so am not concerned too much about this. So, it seems I have turned a bit of corner regarding pain. This could be due to generally getting better or due to the change in medication. I am sure it’s a mixture of both. The medication (Tramadol and Neurontin) )has certainly made me feel more drowsy than usual and I’ll be happy to get off these as soon as possible and get back to work. For the time being I am going to continue with light exercise (walking) to help build up my back muscles and to monitor my wound to ensure it is healing correctly. The lack of constant pain in my right leg has cheered me up no end and long may this continue.

Day 19 - Doctors appointment

Monday Day 19

Today was the best day I’ve had since I came out of hospital. Although waking up with the usual pain it alleviated quickly after medication and a brief walk. I can see a pattern emerging here and I now realise that although initially difficult, the best thing for me is to get up and move around as soon as possible. This coupled with anti-inflammatories are really helping with the pain in my right leg. I sat in the car for an hour and arrived at the hospital. Dr Eakpatipan removed my plaster and examined the wound and I was delighted when he said it looked fine and the staples could be removed. He removed them quickly and I experienced very little discomfort. Each removal felt like a very small prick and it wasn’t too uncomfortable. It feels great to have them out and I can now get comfortable quickly when sitting or lying down. I spoke to the doctor about my recovery and in particular the pain in my right leg. He has adjusted my medication to include two doses of Neurontin a day and prescribed Tramadol again for the pain. He also said that this discomfort was quite normal and would take time to alleviate. After the Doctors, I had to get home independently and with a daughter in tow. This was fine and the journey posed no problem. I took a sky train, boat and then taxi and was comfortable throughout. On returning home however I felt exhausted and needed a nap to recover somewhat. After that I was fine again and enjoyed the rest of the day watching TV going for a short walk and chatting to the neighbours. I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep and to see how my body reacts to a day of more sustained exercise. 

Day 18 Recovery

Sunday Day 18

Today was a good day. I woke up with the now ubiquitous leg pain in the right leg but very early on went for a short walk. I came back had breakfast, took my pills and have been for the most part fine all day. The main issue today has been a recognition and dull ache in my back and buttock muscles. This was particularly prevalent after sitting for a period of time at dinner. I went out to dinner and sat for longer than usual and experienced a bit of discomfort when getting out of my chair. I also felt clearly that my back was weak. I am sure this is normal and will be taken care of once I build those muscles up around the wound and area of surgery. I did something today that I haven’t been able to do even before surgery and that was put my socks on, standing up, without any discomfort from my back. Definite signs of things to come. Tomorrow I will visit with Dr Eakpatipan again and fingers crossed will have my staples removed. They are really starting to annoy me now and I can’t wait to get them out. The plaster itself is uncomfortable and an annoyance. My medicine is all finished or will be after breakfast tomorrow and it will be interesting to see if I can come off any of it. A side effect of the medicine has been amazing dreams. I hope they continue after the medicine has gone. 

Websites and Resources

Hi there 

Below is a list of resources I've used to help me through the process. Any other suggestions are most welcome.

http://www.bnhhospital.com/en/medical_services/detail/Spine-Centre

http://www.spine-health.com/

http://www.spine-health.com/forum/treatment/back-surgery-and-neck-surgery/post-op-must-haves-0 - Great list of useful stuff to prepare when coming out of hospital

http://www.spinepatientsociety.org/forum/

http://www.patient.co.uk/forums/discuss/browse/spinal-problems-2236

http://chronicpainsite.com/mb/

http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/ - Not a spine related site but I've found it useful for meditation.

Day 17 Recovery

Saturday Day 17

I slept well last night and before bed used a free meditation Ap to help me relax. It was recommended to me by a friend who himself has dealt with pain issues. It’s called Headspace and the initial programme is 10 minutes for 10 days. I’m going to do it and see how it goes. The website is here if anyone’s interested http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/. I woke up however with the usual pain in my right leg and it has persisted for most of the day. This is the most worrying aspect of my recovery and I hope to get some answers and help on Monday at the Doctor’s. My hamstrings have been really tight again and stretching them has caused pain so I obviously stopped. I went for a walk which was pleasant and it was good to feel the sun on my body. I’m lucky really to go through this in Thailand with heat and sun most of the time. I wouldn’t fancy it in the wet and cold of the North of England where I am from. The headache from yesterday was slept away thankfully as this was starting to be rather persistent towards the end of the day. Off to bed now and another meditation session to help me get off to sleep I think.

Day 16 Recovery

Friday Day 16

Today was a good day and hopefully I have turned a corner. The sciatic pain in my right leg has not been an issue today but has been replaced with tight hamstrings. This I can live with as I am sure it’s down to lack of use in the last two weeks. My back muscles have felt tight and my back has felt generally weak although no pain. The itching I endured last week has gone and I put this down to the Atarax medication prescribed on Monday. I am really looking forward to Monday when the staples are removed and I will hopefully regain some level of comfort when sleeping. I got very little sleep last night and blame this for a headache I have had for most of the day. Please for tomorrow; no sciatic leg pain, no headache and looser hamstrings.  I still cannot sit for long periods and although short walks are fine I can’t yet go further without discomfort. 

Day 15 Recovery

Thursday Day 15

Nothing much to write about today. I woke up as normal with moderate pain in the right leg which during the day has receded. The pain was not half as bad as yesterday which I am obviously pleased with. I have done very little today except rest. I walked a very short distance and this was welcome and caused no distress. Hopefully a good night’s sleep will be coming and tomorrow will be more or the same with a little less pain.

Day 14 Recovery

Wednesday Day 14

Day 14 was the worst for a while. I woke up at 5am in with pain in my legs and was forced to get out of bed and take pain killers to alleviate this and get back to sleep. It has been moderate throughout the day but I haven’t really been able to get comfortable. My back muscles, buttocks and legs are all in different stages of pain and have been throughout the day. I put this down to three things and am not sure which one is most to blame. a) I’ve just had a major operation and some days will be better than others. b) I had some beer last night and this hasn’t helped and added to the inflammation. c) I am still recovering from the ‘long walk’ I had on Monday. I believe all 3 probably are contributing factors but to try to avoid discomfort like this in the future I will be resting more during the day and not drinking beer. These are things I can control and hopefully will help avoid such pain in the future. Today has really forced me to reflect on things and to slow down a bit. While not going out for a run or anything overly energetic  I have been surprised that my recovery has been fairly smooth. I guess I really need to calm down somewhat and let everything heal completely before running a marathon. 

Day 13 recovery

Tuesday Day 13

Woke up today feeling Ok but with the now accustomed to buttock pain and slight pain down the right leg. After a morning of doing nothing I followed this up with an afternoon much the same. A friend came round late afternoon and he along with my family went for a nice dinner. As I am now off antibiotics I decided to have a beer. It was nice to do something normal and let my hair down a bit. I was sitting for a long period of time and found this a bit of a discomfort but only realised this later when going to bed. I felt stiff and had slight pain in my leg. We’ll see what tomorrow has in store particularly as I had a beer or two this evening.

Monday Day 12 – Doctors appointment

Monday Day 12 – Doctors appointment

Woke up much the same as previous days with a stiff back and slight pain down the right side of my leg. Again after a while this receded and I felt pretty good. Today was my first appointment with the doctor since my surgery and discharge. My wife kindly drove me to the hospital and I was promptly seen by Dr Eakpatipan. After a brief consultation to check I was progressing as normal he checked my wound. Thankfully he was happy with this as well and decided that the two holes for my drainage bags had now healed sufficiently so these dressing were removed. He cleaned and redressed the wound then explained what I could do during the next week. He said that stationary cycling would be ok and that I could increase the distance when walking. He said no swimming yet but I could lift weights to a maximum of 15kg. I explained about being exhausted after any moderate exercise and he said this could be down to the drugs as well as the body’s natural resistance and need to heal. He also said if I did feel any pain I should stop and relax. In addition he took me off the antibiotics and gave me some medicine to help alleviate the incessant itching from the shaving and consequent adhesive from the dressings. I have another follow up appointment scheduled for next Monday. After the consultation I went to have lunch with my family. we went to a huge department store and I ended up walking more than I have done for a while. I now regret this as I have pain in both my legs, buttocks and lower back. I have taken my meds and will be having an early night to rest and recuperate. 

Day 11 Recovery

Sunday Day 11

After a good night’s sleep I woke up with the usual mild sciatic pain in my right leg. The pillow trick didn’t work but I’ll persevere and try it again tonight. The pain eventually went away throughout the day and the only discomfort I’ve had has been the dull ache in my buttocks and the incessant itching of the area around my wound. I had my wound redressed by my wife today and noticed some redness around it. I’m not sure if this is normal but I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow so will get everything checked out then. I’ve included a picture. I walked briefly again today without any problems and am hoping that Dr Eakpatipan will allow me to do a bit more in the next few weeks. Tomorrow is my first visit back to the hospital since I was discharged and I am looking forward to finding out when my staples can come out and if everything is going to plan.   

Day 10 Recovery

Saturday Day 10

I woke up late again (really enjoying these long lie ins) having had a good 10 hours sleep. No stiffness to report in the back and whether this is due to sleeping in a nice warm room with a firmer bed remains to be seen. I will revert back to the aircon and my usual bed tonight and see if I wake up stiff or not. Again I had pain in my right leg although I am happy to report that this has now almost gone at the time of writing this. I am now feeling a slight dull ache in my left buttock towards the top and wonder if this has anything to do with the operation or not. It’s odd because I now have a tendency to relate everything to my back issues which may or may not be the case. These niggles may have happened independently of the operation but I guess it is inevitable that I will do this. I went for a short walk again to my local 7 -11 without much to report. I felt fine during and after and will be asking the doctor on Monday if I can increase the distance yet. I am conscious about moving forward too fast though so will do whatever he says.   Tonight I am going to try a pillow under my knees to stave off the right leg sciatic pain. I read on a forum that this can help. I’ll let you know tomorrow. 

Day 9 Recovery

Friday Day 9 

I woke up today in significantly more pain than usual. I had a mixture of stiffness with pain in the lower back along with pain down the right leg as has happened previously. I’m not sure what to put this down to. It might be that I slept badly in an awkward position. I slept well on the whole waking up twice so am not sure if it was this. It might have been because I overdid it walking yesterday. The two walks I did though were very short, probably a kilometre in total for both walks, so would be surprised if it was this. Anyway I took my medication and pottered downstairs while having breakfast and after about an hour the stiffness went away and the pain in my leg reduced somewhat. Throughout the day the pain in my leg has gradually subsided although it remains slightly, particularly in the right side of my lower leg. I have done nothing today. Just rested and watched TV. I was going to take a short walk but a storm came up and then later my daughter decided she didn’t want to go leaving me a bit stranded at home. Now going to bed I feel pretty good (except for right leg slight pain) and have decided to sleep in the spare room tonight to see if the lack of air con makes a difference when waking up in the morning. I have a theory that the air con being cold is helping my back muscles to constrict more than they would if they were warm. We’ll see tomorrow morning.

Day 8 Recovery

Thursday Day 8

I slept really well waking up only once and getting a total of 10 hours sleep. This is unusual but welcomed as I usually get by on 6 or 7 hours. I woke up with stiffness in my lower back and pain in my right leg. After taking medication and waking around the house the stiffness abated. Once again most of the day has been spent on my back on sat straight relaxing, watching the TV and reading. The itching had reduced somewhat and I think this was down to cleaning the wound the night before. The pain in my right leg hasn’t really gone away all day and although not too discomforting, it is present in my thoughts. I have been for a couple of short walks and feel fine for this  although I did stub my toe on a loose piece of pavement which made me realise I do need to take more caution when walking. I’m looking forward to another positive day tomorrow. 

Day 7 Recovery

Wednesday Day 7

After sleeping well and waking up only intermittently I woke up today in significantly more pain than yesterday. This was located in my lower back and at down my right leg and right pelvis area. After taking medication this was alleviated somewhat. I think I may have slept awkwardly. I spent most of the day on my back relaxing and went for a brief walk at around 5pm before dinner. I still have a small amount of discomfort in my right leg but on the whole feel good. The muscle pain from the previous day is still there to a small extent. The majority of my discomfort is itching around the wound. I’m not sure if this is from the adhesive or from my back being shaved for the operation. 

Day 6 Recovery

Tuesday Day 6

I woke up at 8am and was able to get out of bed easily and walk down the two flights of stairs with little trouble. I had my breakfast and relaxed all day on the sofa. I have been for two short walks which I am surprised to have done. I have been using a back support and whilst walking noticed a moderate pain on my lower right side and down my right leg. I really didn’t think I would be up and about so quickly. I am very conscious not to overdo anything and will be pacing myself but if I had known how good I would feel at this stage before the operation I wouldn’t have entered the procedure with so much trepidation. Dr Eakpatipan did mention this but having read things on the internet about the procedure I thought he was being optimistic. I have been in a small amount of pain all day as mentioned above and this gets worse when getting up off the sofa or onto the sofa. Most of the time I feel very comfortable. The only other pain I have seems to be muscle pain on both sides of my lower back. I have bruising there from the operation. Going to the toilet is not an issue.

 If progress continues to be so positive I hope to be back at work as soon as the staples are removed. 

Day 5 Recovery

Monday Day 5

I was woken up again in the early hours for blood pressure readings and temperature check. All fine thankfully so drifted back to sleep. Another nurse came with medication before breakfast and I took these and woke up. Breakfast came and after that I had my first shower since Wednesday. As the wounds have waterproof dressings I am able to have a shower as normal. The bed baths have been fine and I appreciate the efforts of the nurses but for the first time in five days I feel really clean. My mobility is 100% better than yesterday and I no longer have pain when getting out of bed. My legs were hurting again when I woke up but after moving around and getting comfortable, the discomfort has gone away. I went for a walk downstairs for the first time without a walker for support and at 9.45 Dr. Eakpatipan came in to check and redress the wound. He told me that I would be able to leave the hospital today and gave me advice for when I get home. This included no bending and the waist or stretching and to keep my back straight at all times. He also said I could take short walks but should lie down if I feel any pain. I didn’t expect to feel this well so soon after the operation after reading reports on the internet so am delighted and am looking forward to getting back to a normal life soon. 

After completing all the discharge formalities and receiving my massive bag of medication, I was able to leave the hospital on my own steam. The journey home was uneventful and except for a little discomfort getting in and out of the car was very comfortable. I am lucky due to the fact I have people to look after me and although I am mobile and could probably take care of myself at a push it would be very uncomfortable and exhausting. Putting on clothes is a challenge. Shoes and socks take a long time. Normal things like getting milk out of the fridge is difficult and reaching for pots and pans is troublesome. So having someone to help with cooking and household chores is fantastic.

I wasn’t looking forward to bedtime as I imagined my own bed to be not as comfortable as the adjustable hospital version. It was fine and I was able to spread out a bit more. I slept well but kept waking up at regular intervals, I think probably due to me being used to nurses coming in every 2 hours or so in the hospital. 

Day 4 Recovery

Sunday Day 4

I had a better night’s sleep last night and was woken up by the nurse at 6.30 am for blood pressure and temperature readings. Temperature was fine but blood pressure was a bit high.  I put this down to being woken up from a lovely sleep at 6.30 in the morning. I had some pain around the wound and pain in my right leg when I woke up but after adjusting my position and taking my medicine was able to alleviate this. After breakfast I asked my wife to take me downstairs so I could potter around and get some sun. This was lovely and although I was only out for 10 minutes it made me feel better. After lunch I came over exhausted. I had to go back to bed and sleep for an hour. I wasn’t sure if this was medication or because I had been for a walk but I listened to my body and felt fine after the nap. The rest of the afternoon was spent pottering about and relaxing. Dr Ekpatipan came at around 5pm to check the wound and blood drainage bags. He decided that it would be fine to remove the drains and redress the wound. This stung a bit but didn’t hurt as much as I expected it too. It was also the first opportunity for me to see the wound as my wife took a picture. I have a wound about 12 inches long containing 34 staples sealing the wound. The doctor finished up and said he’d be back tomorrow to ascertain whether I could be discharged. I spent the evening in much more comfort as I no longer had any drainage bags attached to my back. I had dinner, watched a bit of TV and relaxed. My wife and daughter surprised me with a cake for my birthday. Not a great place to spend a birthday but never mind. The cake was too much for three people so we shared it with the nurses in the nurses station. All of them to a person have been fantastic. 

Day 3 Recovery

Saturday Day 3

Again a day of rest and again I had lots of visitors. This really brightened my day and I am really grateful to the people who came to say hi. I got up again and walked a couple of times up and down the corridors of the ward. My wound started itching today and I am told this is a good sign as it means its healing. I continued to have a great appetite and spent the day eating, resting, watching TV, doing crosswords and sleeping.  Going to the toilet has become increasingly easier and I can now brush my teeth at the sink without any assistance. My blood pressure readings are all normal (but could be lower) and my temperature is normal indicating no infection. I had pain in my right side and in my legs today but was told this is a normal part of the recovery.

Day 2 Recovery

Friday Day 2

Rest, rest and more rest was the order of today. Some friends came round to visit which was great and I watched movies, read the paper and slept. The nurse was able to remove the catheter from my penis which was not a pleasant experience. It didn’t hurt as such but burned slightly. Having a catheter in was very strange. I didn’t actually urinate for a few days but the bag just kept filling up. It was weird not to have the sensation of urinating but being able to see the final result.  Once this was removed I had to get up and go to the toilet myself. Going to the toilet after removing the catheter was fine. I was also able to defecate which was relieving as I was sure this would be painful and uncomfortable. I was able to get up and walk around the ward a couple of times which was fantastic for me as I was getting a bit bed sore. I used a walking frame to help but I was actually able to walk freely. I used the frame when resting and as a support if I felt dizzy which I did when initially getting up. I had difficulty sleeping as the pain from the wounds was extreme so I asked the nurse for a pain killing injection. She gave me some morphine and sleep came very quickly. Today I was taken off the IV antibiotics and given them in tablet form. Another small milestone met.

Day 1 recovery

Thursday Day 1 recovery

I was in bed for most of the day today. I wasn’t really able to sit upright in bed so my wife fed me for the most part. I felt very compos mentis, but in a lot of pain from the wounds in particular. The oxygen was removed which was becoming irritating and at around midday the doctor came to visit and checked the wound. He had me sit and stand up and walk a few steps which I thought was encouraging. He then explained I would need an xray to check the operation was successful and this would happen later. I also had a visit from the cardiologist who did some checks and said everything was ok. At around 4.30 I was taken for an xray and again had to get out of bed to stand up to do the xray. Dr Ekpatipan then came to check the results and show me what he had done. He explained that everything had gone to plan and all titanium inserts were placed perfectly. Relieved, I was then wheeled up to my room to have dinner. The nurses again took over and gave me my next supply of drugs. I have been on a variety of medicines, pain killers, IV antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and vitamins. The nurse brings them in at regular intervals and I dutifully swallow them down.

Operation day

Wednesday Operation day

I packed my bag in the morning. It mainly consisted of toiletries and stuff to do. As I knew I was going to be laid up I prepared movies and books to keep me occupied. I also had the added benefit of having my wife and daughter to keep me company. Thankfully my insurance through my work covered a private room with a spare bed so they were able to stay with me all the time. i can't say how much I appreciated this. Without their help and support I couldn't have gone through this. I arrived at the hospital and met with the nurse at the spine centre. Another lady then arrived with consent forms and insurance documents to sign. She then tied the admittance bracelet on my arm and at midday took me to my room. The room itself was super. It was private and I had a bathroom with shower. In addition there was a small kitchen area with microwave and fridge as well as a flat screen cable TV.

My operation was scheduled for 6.30pm so I waited in the room and prepared. I was hungry as I had my last meal at 9am but was very nervous so I doubt if I could have stomached anything anyway. This was my first ever operation and having never been under general anaesthetic before, I was very apprehensive. I had regular visits from the nurses who took blood pressure and recorded pretty high reading although not high enough to warrant a postponement. The cardiologist came and after tests was satisfied that I was fit to go. Dr Ekpatitpan came again to talk through the operation once more and to provide much needed reassurance. At 5.30pm a nurse instructed me to have a shower and change into the operating robes provided.

6pm came round and it was time to go down to the operating theatre. I was wheeled down on a gurney and met by two nurses who prepped me for the procedure. They inserted needles into my hand to allow for an IV drip and the administration of the general aesthetic. 

The anaesthetist, Dr Pornlert came and explained clearly what was going to happen. I would be on the gurney, taken into the theatre and then anaesthetised. After that I would have a breathing tube inserted into my throat and then moved on to the operating table. I would be placed on my stomach and Dr Eakpatipan, Dr Wicharn, also an orthopaedic and spinal surgeon and Dr Prasert a neurological and Spinal Surgeon would start the procedure. In total it would last for 3 hours. Dr Pornlert was fantastic and had a wonderful bedside manner. He talked to me about general things to put my mind at rest and then explained fully how I would feel. He answered questions such as:

• ·         Will the anaesthetic hurt when administered?
• ·         How would I feel when I woke up?
• ·         Would I dream?
• ·         Would I have any sense of how long I’d been under?

The answers were.

• ·         No, but it might feel a bit cold
• ·         A bit strange and maybe a bit nauseous but generally ok
• ·         Maybe, some patients do.
• ·         Most patients feel like the time has been ‘deleted’ and they have no sense of the time under.

I was then wheeled into the theatre. At this time I was flat on my back on a gurney. The theatre was cold and very clinical as you would imagine. There was lots of activity from nurses and lots of lights and instruments. I was wheeled next to the operating table which was pre-moulded I guess to allow the doctors access to my back. It was strange knowing that very soon I would be lying on the table on my stomach but would have no recollection of this. Dr Ekpatipan came for a last time to check and then the anaesthetist said it was time to go under. The ceiling started moving and things started blending in together then everything went blank.  

So, I did wake up and did feel very disorientated as was suggested. I remember having a pleasant dream but can’t remember what it was. The nurses and Dr Pornlert were saying my name and encouraging me to come round and I replied ‘I don’t want to.’ It must have been a great dream. When I did come to I saw my wife and daughter waiting and the relief was amazing. I lied in the recovery room for 2 hours and was then taken to my room. Upon waking I felt cold and remember shivering. I was very tense as in my back felt constricted and tight.

Although in a lot of pain, I was surprised how well I felt and was able to eat some food that was waiting. The tension I felt subsided and then recognised that I had a few extra things that weren't there when I went in the theatre such as a catheter in my penis, an oxygen tube for my nose and rather alarmingly two draining bags hanging from the left hand side of my back. Dr Ekpatipan had explained this all before but it was still a bit of a shock. The catheter was irritating and the wound and drainage bags were painful and the latter, very unpleasant to look at. My throat was also sore from the breathing tube. I tried to sleep and did for a few hours but with nurses coming in at regular intervals to take blood pressure readings and temperature it was difficult. 

Pre – Op

Tuesday Pre – op

My pre op was scheduled for 9am the day before my operation. I was told not to eat anything 8 hours before coming into the hospital and went to bed at 10 am the night before. On arrival at the hospital I had a brief consultation with Dr Eakpatipan who explained what tests I would be having. The nurses then took over and extracted blood, sent me to get an urine sample, tested blood pressure, assessed weight and height and then took me for a chest x-ray and EXG exam. When all the results were in I went back to see the doctor. Thankfully everything was in order and I had no problems with any of the tests. This was a bit bitter sweet as I meant I was healthy but it also meant I was cleared for the operation which I was not looking forward to the day after. The doctor then explained the procedure for the following day and I left for home and to prepare.

Background

Background

I am 42 years old and although a bit overweight am in good health. Before the operation, I cycled everyday regularly doing journeys of 75 km each day. I walked 3 times a week of distances of around 6km. I’m a teacher and spent most of my working life sedentary behind a desk or sitting on a chair in the classroom.  While on a bike ride about 6 weeks ago I stopped to change a puncture. When I got up from changing the inner tube my back started to hurt. When I got home the pain had increased significantly and I found it difficult to move. I iced my back and assumed it would go away fairly soon. After struggling another day with this I decided to go to the doctor. I arrived at the BNH on Soi Convent, Bangkok and went to the Spine Centre. I met with Dr Eakpatipan, an Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgeon, who did a physical evaluation and then sent me for an x ray. The xray came back and his diagnosis was I had spinal canal stenosis L4 -5. However, to be clear, he would need to do an MRI. I couldn’t do the MRI on that day as I needed to get insurance clearance so booked it for a few days later. I went back and had the MRI. This was my first time for an MRI and the whole experience was very strange. I wasn’t expecting it to be so noisy. It was rather claustrophobic but I soon got used to it. I lasted for about 25 minutes and altogether it was painless. I returned to the doctor and he confirmed his initial suspicions. He recommended I have surgery. The surgery I was to undergo is called laminectomy decompression L4 -5 with fixation and fusion L4 -5. He initially scheduled me for 4 days in the future and I agreed.

However after a think I decided that with something of this nature I would be better off getting a second opinion. My wife’s friend knew a well renowned back surgeon who worked at a respected hospital in the city. I went to visit him and he agreed with the initial diagnosis. This was a strange feeling as I felt relieved that the first doctor was right however it did mean I now needed to go through with the operation. I went back to Dr Eakpatipan and rescheduled, however I decided to give myself a bit more time to prepare and have a short holiday before going under the knife.  

During this period I searched the internet for stories, information and anything I could get my hands on to do with the operation. I had another consultation two weeks before with Dr Eakpatipan and received information about what to expect and what to prepare for my stay in hospital.